CBDT Directs Assessing Officers To Respect Citizens Charter In TDS matters

The CBDT has issued Instruction No. 1/2014 dated 15.01.2014 to the Chief Commissioners stating that though the Citizens Charter prescribes a time limit of one month for a decision u/s 197 on application for no deduction of tax or deduction of tax at lower rate, there is considerable delay in issuing the lower/non deduction certificate. The CBDT has directed that the commitment to tax payers as per the Citizens Charter must be scrupulously adhered to by the Assessing Officers and all applications for lower or no deduction of tax at source filed u/s 197 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 must be disposed of within the stipulated time frame.